Sports cap or hat accessory



Aug. 4, 1959 c. E. FORBES-ROBINSON SPORTS CAP OR HAT ACCESSORY 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Aufl- 15, 1955 I N VEN TOR. fiees-fiawsau,

irwm s Aug. 4, 1959 c. E. FORBES-ROBINSON 2,

SPORTS CAP OR HAT ACCESSORY Filed Aug. 15 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CZe/sr/AM pE THEL. F QQBES-RaEM/s-ON,

INVENTOR.

SPORTS CAP R HAT ACCESSORY Christina Ethel Forbes-Robinson, Lakewood, Calif.

Application August 15, 1955, Serial No. 528,332

2 Claims. (Cl. 2-172) The present invention relates generally to the field of sports apparel, and more specifically to a foldable fabr c shield that is adapted to protect the neck, throat and hair of the wearer from the weather, especially wind, particularly when driving in an open car.

Although a. variety of sports caps have previously been devised and marketed, the majority of these have the disadvantage of being styled along the lines of mens caps, and consequently no provision has been made in such devices for protecting the longer hair of women from the disarranging effect of the wind. Furthermore, previously available devices have afforded little or no protection for the throat and neck of the user from exposure to ram and sun. When used in motoring, prior devices of this nature protect no more than the crown of the head, so that women riding in convertibles or sports cars typically have a windblown look. This result has heretofore been deemed an unavoidable consequence of open car motoring, with the only alternative being to bind up the hair in a bandana or scarf. However, that alternative is rejected by most women as in general, it detracts rather than enhances their appearance. Moreover, such bandanas are only a partial solution to the problem because they bind the hair tightly to the head, and thus actually contribute to the dishevelment thereof.

One of the primary purposes of the present invention is to obviate these and other disadvantages commonly associated with the use of the previously available articles of headgear to minimize the effects of wind and sun.

Major objects of the invention are to provide a shield that can be: mounted on a cap or hat to enclose a portion of the wears hair and protect same from the wind and sun; easily folded and stored in an automobile glove compartment, handbag, or the like; used for warmth and protection from the wind and weather when the user is driving in an open car, as well as to provide protection from the sun for a spectaator of sports events; adjusted in a variety of positions.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of various forms thereof, and from the drawings illustrating those forms in which:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view showing the invention removably positioned on a sports cap;

Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the device shown in Figure l removed from the cap;

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the device;

Figure 4 is a front perspective view of the device showing one of its hair shielding positions;

Figure 5a is a perspective view of an alternate form of the device shown in Figures 1-4;

Figure 5b is a perspective view showing one method of arranging the device shown in Figure 5a in a throatproteeting and hair-shielding position;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of another alternate form of the invention;

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing a ladies sports lCC Figure 8 is a perspective view of the device shown in Figure 7 illustrating another hair-shielding position;

Figure 9 is a rear perspective view of the invention shown in yet another hair-shielding position; and

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the invention showing the hair-shielding means in a removed position.

Referring now to the drawings for the general arrangement of the invention, and in particular to Figure 2 thereof, it will be seen that the hair shield S comprises a hood arrangement that is adapted to be supported on a ladies sports cap K of a type frequently worn in sports car motoring Shield S includes a substantially circular or oval crown piece C that has a peripherally attached band B extending downwardly therefrom, which band and crown piece are adapted to fit snugly over the top of cap K so that cap brim or visor R extends outwardly from under band B. A hood H depends from the lower edge of band B, which hood is a substantially rectangular sheet of a flexible material that is aflixed by an edge thereof to the band. Hood H extends partially around the under edge portion of the band, as best seen in Figure 2. When the hood is thus arranged, brim R protrudes between oppositely disposed vertically depending edges thereof. Hood H is sufficiently long so that it hangs down to the shoulders to fully cover the hair of the wearer. Fastening means F is provided on the depending corners of hood H whereby these corners may be removably fastened together to substantially fully enclose the wearer's hair. Hood H is preferably of ample proportions so that it can completely cover the hair but yet not bind it so tightly as to disturb the hairdress.

Hair shield S is preferably fabricated from a suitable cloth such as silk, cotton, worsted, twill, or the like so as to be easily foldable for storage in a purse or glove compartment. In the drawings, shield S is shown in expanded position as it would appear when supported on a sports cap K. In this particular form of the invention, it is preferable that the material from which shield S is made he so sheer or thin that it requires the external support afforded by the cap in order to assume the shape of the cap. Crown piece C is a somewhat oval sheet of such material having a front end portion 16 and rear end portion 12 disposed along the major axis thereof and adapted to conform to the configuration of the top of cap K. Band B is also an elongate strip of such material, the ends of which are stitched together so that the strip defines an annular band that is fastened along the upper edge 14 thereof to the periphery of crown piece C. The lower edge 16 of the band at the portion thereof which depends from rear end 12 of crown piece C has a downwardly peaked portion 18 that points to the nape of the neck and is adapted to support the rear part of hood H in such a manner as to avoid bunching thereof.

Peaked edge portion 18 also fashions itself to the shape of the head, and the crown, to the style of the majority of coiifures. Hood H is a substantially rectangular sheet of flexible material that depends from the lower edge .16 of band B by means of stitching along an edge thereof, and extends partially around band C from one side to the other around the back thereof. Hood H has oppositely disposed depending corners 20 and 22 that are defined by vertical edges 24 and 26 and lower depending edge 28 thereof, and the corners are provided with suitable fastening means F such as buttons, snaps, hooks and eyes, or the like, to removably fasten them together. Although it is not necessary, it may be preferable that hood H be shirred or gathered along the edge thereof by which it is fastened to band B so that the hood will be full along its depending edge 28.

The manner of use of the invention is very simple. It may easily be folded and stored in an automobile glove compartment and thus be conveniently accessible for use with sports cap K which is worn when motoring. After being unfolded, shield S is placed over the cap so that brim R extends outwardly therefrom between oppositely disposed vertically extending edges 24 and 26 of hood H. The hood H then hangs loosely over the hair as shown in Figure 1. In that position the weight of the hood material'will protect the side curls of hair from the wind Without undue disturbance thereof. If desired, corners 20 and 22 of the hood H may be fastened together under the chin and the entire hairdress of the wearer will then be covered and flying hair completely eliminated. Although not illustrated, shield S is also designed so that corners 2t) and 22 may be fastened together behind the neck, with the hair encased therein if it be arranged in an upsweep or pony tail.

Figures a and 5b depict a variation S of hair shield S that is similar thereto in all respects except for the configuration of the hood and fastening means. In this instance shield S' supports a hood H having a substantially rectangular center portion 30, and having a lower depending edge 28' that terminates at both ends in elongate ends 32 and 34 that are foldable over one another and over the shoulders of the wearer. has a fastener such as snap 36 that is removably engageable with a mating portion 36a thereof located on the opposite side of band B as shown in Figure 5b.

Shield S is used in the same manner as shield S, except that it may be fastened by tying ends 32 and 34 together, or at least one of the ends can be snapped onto brim B as aforesaid. Elongate ends 32 and 34 will provide extra warmth in cold weather, but will not cause the hairdress to be bound tightly, and thus leaves the hair undisturbed while protecting it from the weather.

A form of the invention in its most compact form is shown in Figure 6 wherein cap K is adapted to removably support hood H". This hood is also a substantially rectangular sheet of flexible material that has a binding strip 38 stitched to the upper edge thereof to fixedly support a plurality of fasteners such as snaps 36 therealong. Snaps 36 are adapted to engage mating portions 36a thereof that are affixed to the lower edge of the band of cap K and that are spaced partially around the band to support the hood rearwardly of the cap brim so that the hood hangs therefrom to cover the wearers hair.

Hood H" is used in the same manner as hood H and may be provided with corner fastening means as desired. Hood H" may be attached or removed from cap K by merely snapping it in or out of place so that the cap may be worn alone when the wearer is not motoring, or with the hood when driving. Such a form of the invention may be desirable if the cap itself bears some distinctive insignia of membership in a motor club, or the like, which the wearer does not wish to have covered.

As is apparent from Figures 7-10, the invention may be embodied in a sports cap K having an integral hood portion that is disposable in a plurality of positions. Cap K provides a complete cap, sun visor and hair shield that is unusually versatile in that it is adapted to protect any style of hairdress.

Cap K has a crown piece C and band B similar in configuration to those of shield S, but made of a heavy material such as twill that will support itself in the desired cap shape. A brim R is attached to the front lower edge portion of band B in order to shade eyes of the wearer, and the brim may be internally Wired or the covering material thereof may enclose a semi-rigid stiffening member such as paperboard (not shown) to maintain the brim in a horizontally extending position. Fastening means such as a button 40 are alfixed to the front of band B just above the center of brim R for a purpose to be set forth hereinafter. Cap K also has a hood H similar to that of shield S, and attached to band B in a similar manner, but it will be noted that the lower depending edge 28" of hood H' is adapted to conform to the configuration of the shoulders and back of the wearer, as can best At least one of said ends be seen in Figure 8. Depending edge 28" dips downwardly at the midpoint thereof to define a tail or inverted apex portion 42 that will extend below the nape of the wearers neck, and the corners 20' and 22 also dip downwardly slightly. A buttonhole 44 is located in apex portion 42 that is adapted to receive button 40, while the vertically extending edges 24' and 26 of hood H have at least one pair of mating fastening means F therealong, such as buttons or snaps.

Cap K may be worn in any one of the positions shown in Figures 7 and 9 to be used in essentially the same way as shield S. When used in the manner of Figure 7, with the lower edge 28' hanging freely, hood H fully covers the wearers hair at the sides and rear to maintain it in place. If the side hair is particularly long, or if wind conditions are usually severe, oppositely disposed depending corners 20' and 22' may be fastened together un der the chin as shown in Figure 8, but the fullness of lower hood edge 28" will not cause the hair to be bound tightly, and yet will prevent disturbance thereof by the wind. For pony tails and upswept hair styles, corners 20 and 2 may be turned outwardly and fastened together at the rear of the cap as shown in Figure 9, permitting the tail piece 42 to cover the hair over the nape of the neck, or corners 20" and 22" may be turned inwardly and fastened around the hair to envelope it.

When it is desired to fold hood H out of the way, corners 20" and 22" are folded upwardly over one another and fastened together on top of crown piece C as is shown in Figure 10, after which tail piece 42 is folded over the corners and crown piece so that button 40 engages buttonhole 44. With the hood so folded, cap K may be used in the ordinary way, but with hood H always available for use as desired.

Althoughthe forms of the invention herein shown and described are fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore mentioned, it is to be understood that these forms are merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that I do not mean to limit myself to the details of con struction herein shown and described other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combination ladies sports cap and hair shield that includes: a substantially circular crown piece; a continuous band that is attached to the periphery of said crown piece and extends therearound; a brim attached to a portion of the lower edge of said band and extending substantially horizontally outward therefrom; a hood that is formed of a substantially rectangular sheet of a flexible material and that depends by an edge portion thereof from the remaining portion of the lower edge of said band; means to removably fasten together the oppositely disposed depending corners of said hood; and means to removably fasten the midpoint of the depending edge of said hood to said band at a point thereon over said brim.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 in which: said depending edge of said hood dips downwardly at the midpoint thereof to define an inverted apex portion thereof that is foldable over the top of said cap to said point over said brim.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 202,262 Isidor Apr. 9, 1878 385,643 Schultz July 3, 1888 473,427 McLoughlin Apr. 19, 1892 822,986 Rochet June 12, 1906 999,812 Lobel Aug. 8, 1911 1,293,980 Tennison Feb. 11, 1919 1,512,128 OBrien Oct. 21, 1924 2,462,258 Dannenberg Feb. 22, 1949 2,578,219 Berry et al. Dec. 11, 1951 2,666,925 Mayer Jan. 26, 1954 

